Library Research Guides: Topic: Understanding History for Student Success: Writing & Citations Tools

Citing Your Sources

Once you have written your research paper or essay, you will need to make sure that you give credit to all of the resources you used.

This means that you have to say where you got the information that was used in your paper. This is called a citation.

A citation usually includes information such as the author's name, title of the book, or article and journal, publisher, date, and more.

This information allows the instructor to know where you found your research or supportive evidence.

For this assignment your instructor may give you the option to use two different writing and citation styles, MLA or Chicago. Check the assignment for your instructor’s preferred style.

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Find a Print Copy of the Writing Style Manual at the EPCC Library

A Writer's Reference by Diana Hacker; Nancy Sommers
Call Number: PE1408 .H2778 2018
ISBN: 9781319057442
Publication Date: 2017-09-15
Get the answers to all your common writing questions, no matter the course, as Writer's Reference gives you the tools you need to becoming a stronger writer.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by American Psychological Association
Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2020
ISBN: 9781433832161
Publication Date: 2019-10-01
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields.
MLA Handbook by The Modern Language Association of America
Call Number: LB2369 .M52 2021
ISBN: 9781603293518
Publication Date: 2021-04-06
Relied on by generations of writers, the MLA Handbook is published by the Modern Language Association and is the only official, authorized book on MLA style. The new, ninth edition builds on the MLA's unique approach to documenting sources using a template of core elements--facts, common to most sources, like author, title, and publication date--that allows writers to cite any type of work, from books, e-books, and journal articles in databases to song lyrics, online images, social media posts, dissertations, and more. With this focus on source evaluation as the cornerstone of citation,
The Chicago Manual of Style by University of Chicago Staff (Editor)
Call Number: REF Z253 .U69 2010
ISBN: 9780226104201
Publication Date: 2010-08-01
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Eighth Edition by Kate L. Turabian; Wayne C. Booth (Revised by); Gregory G. Colomb (Revised by); University of Chicago Press Staff (Revised by); Joseph M. Williams (Revised by)
Call Number: LB2369 .T8 2013
ISBN: 0226816389
Publication Date: 2013-03-28

Essay Writing Assistance

Essay Framework Worksheet
This worksheet will help you outline the body of your essay. Fill in the worksheet with topic sentences and supporting details/evidence based on your assignment. This planning can determine if your essay will support your thesis.

How to Write a History Essay. This site explains each aspect of writing a History essay, from writing an effective thesis statement to developing an outline that will structure your essay.
The PEEL Method. The 5 minute video below explains the PEEL Method for writing effective paragraphs.

EPCC Online Tutoring

While we encourage you to visit the Writing Center in person, you can also take advantage of our online tutoring services. Any EPCC student can submit an essay for review by attaching it to an email and sending it to wcvv@epcc.edu (copy and paste the email address into the "To" field of your EPCC or other mail account).

In the subject field of the email, put

your name and your EPCC ID number

In the body of the email, state

your instructor's name
the name of the course
any questions you'd like the tutors to answer

The tutors can help you the most if you also attach a copy of your instructor's assignment instructions.

Your essay will be returned to you with a tutor's feedback within 48 hours. You'll need plenty of time to revise your essay once you get the tutor's comments, so make sure you send your draft at least 4 days before its due date.

You may submit as many drafts of your essay as you like, making sure that you've done your best to apply the tutor's suggestions to each draft version.

Additional Online Resources

Purdue Owl - MLA
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.) and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
Purdue Owl - Chicago
Contains information on The Chicago Manual of Style method of document formatting and citation. These resources follow the sixteenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, which was issued in September 2010.
Son of Citation Machine
Provides an interactive tool to help create reference citations for research papers. Includes various print and electronic resources. Make sure you edit and review each citation according to the selected writing style manual.
The Chicago Manual Style Online - Citation Quick Guide
Completely searchable and easy to use, The Chicago Manual of Style Online provides recommendations on editorial style and publishing practices for the digital age. Now offering the full contents of the 16th and 15th editions.